Proverbs 25:28
in Proverbs 25Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He whose spirit is without restraint Is like a city that is broken down and without walls.
KJV
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.
⋯
This verse in Proverbs 25
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd again "like a city that has its walls destroyed and is not fenced in, so is a man who does anything without counsel." And how injurious the absence of this is to a monk, the illustration and figure in the passage quoted shows, by comparing it to a city that is destroyed and without walls. Herein lies wisdom, herein lies intelligence and understanding without which our inward house cannot be built, nor can spiritual riches be gathered together, as it is said: "A house is built with wisdom, and again it is set up with intelligence.
This site's exposition
It is not good to eat too much honey
on Proverbs 25:27-28
"It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory" extends the chapter's honey image. "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper." A man with no inward government lies open to any raider.
This site's exposition
Like a city whose walls are broken down
A city with broken walls lies open to every raider, and a man with no control of his temper lies open. John Cassian quotes an old form of the line about a man who acts without counsel. He applies the broken walls to the monk who lacks counsel.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
"As a city broken down and without walls," etc. For if it does not have the wall of silence, the city of the mind lies open to the darts of the enemy. And as it casts itself outside through words, it exposes itself openly to …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
He that hath no rule over his own spirit,....
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| עִ֣יר | ʾir | a city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| פְּ֭רוּצָה | perutzah | broken into | H6555 → | |
| אֵ֣ין | ʾein | there not | H369 → | 789 times |
| חוֹמָ֑ה | chomah | [is] a wall | H2346 → | |
| אִ֝֗ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אֵ֖ין | ʾein | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| מַעְצָ֣ר | ma'tzar | control | H4623 → | |
| לְרוּחֽוֹ׃ | lerucho | [belongs] to spirit his | H7307 → | 378 times |
עִ֣ירa city
ʾirH5892 →1090 times
פְּ֭רוּצָהbroken into
perutzahH6555 →
אֵ֣יןthere not
ʾeinH369 →789 times
חוֹמָ֑ה[is] a wall
chomahH2346 →
אִ֝֗ישׁa person
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אֵ֖יןnot
ʾeinH369 →789 times
מַעְצָ֣רcontrol
ma'tzarH4623 →
לְרוּחֽוֹ׃[belongs] to spirit his
leruchoH7307 →378 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 16:32He who is slow to anger is better than a warrior, and he who controls his temper is greater than one who captures a city.
it leads to
- Proverbs 14:29
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 1:19
My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
- Proverbs 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.
- Proverbs 19:11
A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
- Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
- Proverbs 14:29
Through
Proverbs 22:24Do not make friends with an angry man, and do not associate with a hot-tempered man,
it leads to
- Proverbs 21:24
Mocker is the name of the proud and arrogant man—of him who acts with excessive pride.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 29:22
An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
- 2 Corinthians 6:14–17
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
- Proverbs 21:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies8
About Proverbs
This page draws on Bede, Commentary on Proverbs; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; John Cassian, CONFERENCE 2:4; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.